Team Building with Improv
Team building is the most common reason that businesses use improv. Our team building courses are tailored to all types of team from the first day of a new project to the final celebration, from recent interns to CEOs as well as teams made up across the hierarchy of a business. The Maydays Improv for Team Building courses will give your team a unique experience, whether they need better communication, more agility or greater productivity, improv gives a deeply immersive and experiential way of bonding and growing a team.
Through a carefully selected set of exercises, our courses allow everyone in the team their chance to step up and be appreciated. A supportive environment is created where failure is part of success and people are celebrated for being themselves. To read more about the specifics of how Improv helps build better teams, read our blog series here…
The benefits of our Improv for Team Building
We love to tailor our courses to your need, and we have plenty of experience doing so. Most recently we have worked with teams from GSK, Investec and Ernst & Young. They all came to us to provide a unique experience for their teams. Often we are asked to provide a ‘real challenge’ or to ‘throw people in at the deep end’ and we can provide courses that fulfil that, such as experiencing some improv training and then being invited on stage to perform completely improvised scenes and games. However, it is never our aim to humiliate, and in our experience, people will come away feeling empowered and supported to achieve something they never thought possible in themselves while being delighted and surprised at the imagination, creativity and braveness of their teammates.
This is why we believe that improv for team building is such a powerful tool. Team members will create unique interactions and long-lasting memories that strengthen their relationship, and engender mutual respect. We are rarely given the chance to allow ourselves to fail, to be vulnerable and to openly admit that we don’t know what to do or say in a situation. Well improv not only gives us that chance, it demands that we step into the unknown, and teams will quickly work out that things are a lot more fun and rewarding with the mutual support from each other.
The Maydays Improv for Team Building
All of our team building courses are CPD accredited and available in 2hr, 3hr, 6hr, 12hr and 16 hr formats. While we have templates for these formats, we are always happy to design the course around your team’s needs. Find out more about how to take advantage of our CPD accreditation status here
A great place to start to experience the diverse and fascinating world of Improv Training. This CPD accredited course has been designed to take even the most diverse and recent group or team and take them through the basic tents of improvisation and the benefits of Improv in the business world. Find out more about the Introduction to Business Improv course here.
This CPD accredited course will show you how the skills used to create spontaneous shows in front of an audience are directly transferable to business. If business relationships and interaction are important for your business, then improv training can deliver deep, embodied learning and provide a fresh, innovative approach to training. Find out more about Essential Improv Skills for Business here
There is nothing quite like the impact of your first Improv for Business session but the way to embed a deep change in your people and business is to use improv training as an ongoing development tool. If you have tried Improv training before then this is the perfect way to go deeper. Either as a one of super-charge, or a series of regular sessions with your people to keep them agile, confident and one step ahead of the competition. Find out more about Advanced Improv Training Courses here
It is always good to shake up the existing hierarchies and roles of an existing team, or throw a new team a challenge and see how they respond. Traditional team building exercises have focussed on the challenging element of their activities for many year. Improv Training delivers this challenge, but in the safe, non-judgemental space created by our expert facilitators. We are not looking to humiliate or defeat people, we want everyone, even the most introverted to have their moment to shine. Dressed up as a challenge, our CPD accredited course is really a celebration of being human. Find out more about our challenge course here
Skills for Teams
We have designed a number of courses that really focus on essential skills in Business. Here are a few to consider, or you can get in touch and ask us to design a course bespoke to you…
The huge problem with taking risks is the stakes. It is not just missing a bin with an apple core, there are livelihoods, investments and relationships on the line when we are faced with risky situations at work and in life. They will arise though, and it is best to be prepared for how we will behave, and how we will deal with the consequences of our decisions and actions. Improv Training allows us to inhabit some uncomfortable spaces with the stakes being as low as possible. With the support of a good facilitator and the commitment of the participants, this really can be a game changing experience. Find out more about Improv Courses for Risk Taking here…
The one certainty of business life in the UK right now seems to be uncertainty. We know we will be working in unfamiliar and unpredictable environments so we need to be prepared. Prepared to be flexible, agile and remain calm in the face of uncertainty. Improv is all about responding to the unknown with confidence and clarity. It is the perfect way to practise being comfortable and keeping our heads when all around are losing theirs. Find out more about Improv Courses for Flexibility and Agility here…
Being on stage with your improv team performing an hour long musical with no script demands that you are working instinctively as a unit. Find out the secrets to success on stage, and how that applies directly to any team of people. Instead of a theory based approach, we use a live, experiential environment to understand what is really happening in a group, then we can respond to the needs of each group in the moment. Find out more about Improv Courses for Group Dynamics here…
Mindfulness is often perceived as akin to a meditative state. That is a wonderful thing if you have the time and devotion it deserves, but most of our lives are spent in a world of frantic communication and uncertainty. Improvisation demands active mindfulness. It is lively, highly experiential and a very effective tool for raising awareness of yourself and the world around you, allowing you to stay calm in your work and your life. Find out more about Improv Training for Minfulness and Being Present here…
Improv Games for Team Building
Our facilitators will choose from a vast range of exercises, games and techniques to guide your team through to their goals. To get a sense of what sort of things you may be doing, take a look at our business improv games for team building page, or if you want to try some more things out for yourself, then visit our pages on improv games. There is no substitute for expertise however, we will read the group and the room and vary our sessions depending on how the group is responding on the day to make sure everyone feels safe and leaves with a feeling of having achieved something new and challenging.
Courses in the UK and Worldwide
No matter where you are in the world, we can come and deliver our high quality training or entertainment for you. We are based in London and Brighton but can easily travel all around the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.
Brighton is one of the most popular away day locations in the country and for good reason. Not only is it the original home of The Maydays (we still perform every month at The Komedia), but you have access to world class event hosting, restaurants, entertainment and you can go for a dip in the sea when it’s all done. We have our own training studio right next to the iconic i360 viewing tower so you can enjoy your improv training as part of a memorable day out. Find out more about how you can get world class Business Improv Training in Brighton here…
While we originated in Brighton, most of our trainers now deliver from London. We have access to many great spaces for your group and can tailor your experience to your group and your budget. We teach many public courses in London but we can provide bespoke business improv courses in London to bring the unique experience to you. Find out how you can access Business Improv Training in London here…
Improv Performance and Training is thriving in the UK. Renowned for it’s cultural and artistic excellence, Improv is following in the tradition of theatre, comedy, dance and the arts in creating a unique and dynamic scene. Come and experience it for yourself. Improv is n most cities in the UK now, and if you can’t come to Brighton or London, we can come to you wherever you are in the UK and deliver our world class Improv Training. Find out more about Improv in the UK here…
We are proud to be at the forefront of the Improv Revolution that is happening in Europe and across the world. If you have not heard of it, you will soon. Improv performance is now available in every major city across the Globe, and if it isn’t then we will come to you to deliver it. We have delivered at large conferences, or for small teams, at Improv Festivals and cultural events. Find out what we offer worldwide here…
Other Training Courses
The Maydays also offer a wide range of Business Improv Courses for individuals, interns, graduates or cross-hierarchical groups from your business. Whether you are looking to improve communication throughout your company, or increase workplace happiness, improv has been proven to have deep and lasting effects. As an award-winning performance company, we can also provide entertainment for a conference in the form of a fully improvised show based around the unique stories of the delegates. Here are some of the other options that we offer.
Soft skills lie at the very heart of a successful business. It is the ability to communicate, get your ideas across and form genuine relationships with people you work with and people you do business with. Improv training is ideally suited to really practise these soft skills in a safe environment so that when you get back to the business world you are more prepared for whatever is thrown at you. Find out more about Improv Courses for Soft Skills Training here.
We love when the CEO is in the room participating with everyone else in the company. It shows honesty, openness and can generate new relationships and interactions effortlessly. We have also delivered training to a room full of CEOs as a high-powered challenge to shake off old habits and find new ways to respond and create in the moment. Improv Training provides insights at any level and can help to realign your opinion of those you work with, and yourself. Find out more about Improv Courses for Executives and CEOs here.
Improv at a conference can be used at the very start of day as an energiser; throughout the day as a way of keeping people focussed and engaged, or at the end of a conference as a celebration of the day. We can provide short, sharp, attention grabbing games or a fully improvised performance as a treat for your delegates. Find out more about Improv for Conferences and Summits here.
The responsibilities of managers and team leaders are onerous and can wear people down over time. Improv Training can help to revitalise people, and refresh the way they interact with their colleagues, regardless of their status in the company. A leader in business must be flexible, trustworthy and a great communicator. All of the soft skills that can be so hard to work on in a way that is fresh and engaging. Improv Training provides that environment where leaders can really thrive and develop. Find out more about Improv Courses for Leaders and Managers here
Other Related Links
For a more complete overview of what Business Improv is, or why it may be the perfect training for you and your business, follow one of the links below.
Overview of Business Improv Courses from The Maydays – Business Improv
Find out more about what Improv for Business involves – What is Business Improv?
Explore our resource of Improv Games and Exercises – Business Improv Games and Exercises
Articles exploring the benefits of Improv Training for Business
Improv for Team Building Skills – Problem Solving
Improv for Team Building Skills – Interpersonal Relations
Improv for Presentation Skills
Medical Improv: How Improv helps the medical profession.
